WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that they will award $3.4 million dollars in funding to help recruit, train and retain more women in quality pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs and nontraditional occupations.
This is being administered by the department’s Women’s Bureau and Employment and Training Administration, the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grants will support organizations in Arizona, Illinois, New York, Virginia, and Washington.
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh explained the WANTO grant program’s importance at an event today at the Chicago Women in Trades center.
“As part of our effort to build an economy that works for everyone, the department has applied a worker-centered approach to address barriers for women entering apprenticeship programs and non-traditional occupations,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh.
“The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grants will increase workforce pathways for women entering the building trades at a crucial time, as the Biden-Harris administration is heavily investing in infrastructure to create jobs in the clean energy, technology, and manufacturing sectors,” Walsh added.
WANTO grants support women’s participation in fields in which they have traditionally been underrepresented, such as finance, technology, construction, manufacturing, energy, and transportation.
A portion of the grants will provide support services such as childcare, transportation, tuition, and work-related gear.
To learn more information about the program and grant recipients click here.
